I think maybe in the ENT era we had regualr low-tech water showers. And in TMP, I dunno...they didn't have replicators, but maybe sonic showers saved the energy and equipment space required to clean and recycle water for 300+ crew memeber's showering needs. And then by TNG, when the replicator was invented, water showers were probably available...but maybe sonic had become adopted as well, from decades of use...?